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Akerselva River Kayak/Packraft Tour: Urban Adventure in Oslo

Recommended by 91% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Oslo, Norway
Great choice
10+ bookings last month.
  • 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.)
  • Mobile ticket
  • Offered in: English

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Overview

Discover Oslo's wild side on this urban kayaking adventure, blending city life with pristine nature. Starting at historic Nedre Foss Gard Park, you’ll paddle through trendy Grunerløkka and multicultural Grønland, then venture through a mysterious tunnel beneath the city. Emerging into the majestic Oslofjord, the journey culminates at the iconic Opera House—a trip perfect for adventurous spirits seeking a different perspective on Norway's capital city.
  • All kayaking gear and instruction provided
  • Get a vantage point on Oslo that most visitors will miss
  • Learn about the city's past and present from your guide
  • See the Oslofjord, the Munch Museum, and so much more

What's Included

  • Kayaking and Pack-rafting equipment: watercraft, paddle, life jacket & helmet
  • Private transportation
    We transport your belongings to the tour end-point
  • Paddling Instructions and Proffessional Guides
  • Rainproof clothes / wet weather gear (dress to suit weather conditions)
  • Bottled water
  • Sunscreen and sun glasses
  • Waterproof phone case/bag (you don’t need but bring if you want)

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

  • Nedre Foss Gård
    Nordre gate 2, 0551 Oslo, Norway

    The tour starts at Nedre Foss Park (Mad Goats Akerselva) beside Mathallen. You will see our van and trailer with all the colourful kayaks! Call 400 80 440 if you get lost! 

End point

  • Oslo Opera House
    Kirsten Flagstads plass 1, 0150 Oslo, Norway

    We end the tour at the mouth of the Akersleva River, just before it exits into Oslo Fjord. This is in central Oslo and only a 10 minute walk from Oslo Central Station.

Itinerary

1

Akerselva River

20 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

2

Oslo

10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

3

Grunerlokka

10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

4

Barcode Oslo

10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

5

Munch

10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

6

Oslofjord

10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

7

Oslo Opera House

20 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Additional Info

  • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
  • Not wheelchair accessible
  • Service animals allowed
  • Near public transportation
  • Not recommended for travelers with back problems
  • Not recommended for pregnant travelers
  • No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
  • Most travelers can participate
  • Minimum age 5
  • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 20 travelers
Supplied by

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Gallery picture 1 (from a traveler's review)
Gallery picture 2 (from a traveler's review)
Gallery picture 3 (from a traveler's review)
Gallery picture 4 (from a traveler's review)
Gallery picture 5 (from a traveler's review)

Featured review

sarah_h
This river kayaking experience is totally worth it! We were total beginners but had no trouble getting the hang of it. All the equipment is provided and the personnel gave us a thorough orientation before we got into the river. You’re going with the current so it’s basically just guiding your kayak along — no tricky or strenuous paddling. The weather was very fine and we only got a teeny tiny bit wet from the drips into our laps off the edge of our paddles, but that was truly no big deal. You definitely don’t need special clothing for this excursion. We had a small group of about 6 people. The journey is scenic and interesting, and our guide (Felix) was wonderful. Highly recommend the kayak tour with Mad Goats! Afterwards there are plenty of pubs and restaurants nearby to reward yourself with a burger, cold beer, etc.

Reviews

4.7
based on 44 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
We perform checks on reviews

Awesome way to spend the morning!

Steven_C, May 2026
Great experience and really friendly guides! The views of the city are unique and it is a very easy entry point for kayaking for all levels of fitness!

I did this with my mom...

Nicole_B, Sep 2025
I did this with my mom and we had a great time. It was fun, had great views, and requires zero kayaking experience or athletic ability. The current moves you along most of the way so you can often sit, enjoy, and row just enough to keep your kayak straight. Shout out to Olivia for being a great instructor, taking pictures of each of us with our family/friends, and giving great Oslo recommendations.

Response from Host, Sep 2025

Hey! Thanks for the amazing review Nicole. It always warms our heart and makes our day when we learn that people had a good time on our kayak tour. Take care and welcome back if you are ever again in Oslo! :)

Bring dry pants and have a great time on the water!

Jennifer_M, Aug 2025
This was a fantastic way to spend an afternoon! It was super fun and a great way to see Oslo. Bring pants to change into. I probably should have assumed so, but hadn’t kayaked before so didn’t know. That is my only regret!

Response from Host, Aug 2025

Hey! Thanks so much for the awesome review. You are right if you want to avoid all water on your clothes then rain pants is a good idea. We do write this in the confirmation email but sometimes it is lost. Thanks again and glad you had fun on our Akerselva River Kayak and Packraft tour. :)

Urban river tour

Kristen_M, Aug 2025
Fun and effortless trip down the river. Well organized and relaxed staff. I’d recommend this trip as a fun way to see the urban landscape.

Response from Host, Aug 2025

Thank you for the great review Kristen. You are right that is a unique and special way to explore central Oslo while having fun with friends, meeting new people, moving your body and getting fresh air. Welcome back! :)

Fun paddle through the middle of Oslo

Amanda_R, Jul 2025
Had a great experience on this 1.5hrs paddle down the river. I’ve kayaked before and managed to get stuck on a rock immediately but the staff helped me off quickly. The paddle through the tunnel was funny as the theme music from Lord of the Rings was playing. Super fun experience, would recommend if you’re kayaked before or not.

Response from Host, Aug 2025

Hey! Thanks for the great review and dont worry we all get stuck on rocks from time to time! We also love playing LOTR and other epic playlists through the tunnel to enhance the feeling of being on an epic quest together. Welcome back! :)

Great little experience in downtown Oslo

ANGUS_M, Jul 2025
We bought this last minute, and had a great time. It was on our last day in Oslo. Couple of small little currents, lots of floating down the river, a waterfall to go under in the end. Only thing I would strongly recommend just to book it through the tour operator themselves, the markup was way more than I would have preferred.

Response from Host, Jul 2025

Glad you had a great time on our Akerselva Kayak Tour! It is a unique and fun way to explore Oslo. Welcome back and yes next time you know to book direct with us, hehe. :) :)

Fantastic adventure

Marie_T, Jul 2025
Absolutely wonderful. The kayak tour is well-staffed with someone at the front, the rear, and a driver. The beginning is challenging in the sense of being very shallow, but after that it is lightly adventurous and very safe. You go down two tiny waterfalls and through a long tunnel and end up in the fjord by the Opera House. If you are walking from a certain direction be aware that the grafitti-lined walkway going into the park might make your gps go whacko. It is hard to tell that the squiggling walkway leads into the park and for me my app told me I was going in the wrong direction. The walkway joins a smaller and a larger park so it is confusing.

Response from Host, Jul 2025

Thanks a lot for the great review Marie. Glad you found us and glad you enjoyed your kayak tour wit us in Oslo. Welcome back. <3

Nice easy paddle through...

Kelley_H, Jun 2025
Nice easy paddle through town. Accessible for all skill levels. Interesting and unique way to sea Oslo. Definitely recommend bringing a change of clothes.

Response from Host, Jun 2025

Hey! Hey! Thank you for the great review. Glad you enjoyed kayaking with us in Oslo. And yes we do recommend that you bring a change of clothes and wear clothes to suit the days weather. :)

Boring event.

KELLY_P, May 2025
Good equipment. Minimal instruction before setting off. Less than an hour of active kayaking. Did not kayak around fjord. Sat in front of Munch museum until 75 minutes were met. Not worth the money.

Response from Host, Jun 2025

Hey Kelly. Sorry to hear that. Most people love the tour but I can understand that you are disappointed you did not get to go out on the fjord. We do have a fjord tour where we only paddle on the Oslofjord that might have been a better fit. There are some reasons we dont paddle from the river and into the fjord and those usually are due to time, group competence and if there are strong winds on the fjord. Since you sound like you have some paddling experience I can understand you were itching to explore. Sorry again and if you are back in Oslo reach out and we will compensate you with another fun paddling activity. :)

Do this! Kayaking is Oslo is a blast.

sarah_h, May 2025
This river kayaking experience is totally worth it! We were total beginners but had no trouble getting the hang of it. All the equipment is provided and the personnel gave us a thorough orientation before we got into the river. You’re going with the current so it’s basically just guiding your kayak along — no tricky or strenuous paddling. The weather was very fine and we only got a teeny tiny bit wet from the drips into our laps off the edge of our paddles, but that was truly no big deal. You definitely don’t need special clothing for this excursion. We had a small group of about 6 people. The journey is scenic and interesting, and our guide (Felix) was wonderful. Highly recommend the kayak tour with Mad Goats! Afterwards there are plenty of pubs and restaurants nearby to reward yourself with a burger, cold beer, etc.

Response from Host, May 2025

Hey! Thank you for the great review. We are very very happy you had a good time as at the end of the day, that is our only goal. Welcome back if you are ever in Oslo again. :)

Great fun!

Kathryn_H, Oct 2024
What a great time! The guide was great and very patient. Loved the paddle. We all had fun. It was cool seeing Oslo from the water.

Response from Host, Oct 2024

Hey Kathryn. Thank you very much for the great review. It was awesome to take you paddling down the Akerselva river and we are very happy that you had a good time! :) :) :)

Urban kayaking

Ellen_K, Jul 2024
Nice little easy beautiful paddle down an urban river. A nice way to see parts of Oslo. Guide was great!

Response from Host, Jul 2024

Thanks a lot for the awesome review. If you had fun kayaking with us then we achieved our goal! :)

Fun activity in Oslo

Robbin_K, Jul 2024
Very fun activity to do with a wonderful guide and scenery. When booking this activity we thought it would be really hard, but it was surprisingly easy

Response from Host, Jul 2024

Very fun is our goal so we are very happy! Akerselva is such an amazing natural feature in Oslo and we are grateful to be able to show so many down this wonderful river on our tours. Welcome back if you are ever again in Oslo and thanks very much for leaving a review! :) :) :)

Great few hours on the river

Jennifer_s, Jun 2024
We had a great experience kayaking. We had a super small group - just 4 of us including myself. The guide was incredibly instructive before we got into the river so we felt safe and prepared for anything that might happen like rough water or the kayak rolling. The route is cool - goes through a tunnel and under some bridges and ends in open water by the opera house. Mad Goats was really accommodating since my husband suffered an allergic reaction before our scheduled tour. They let us reschedule for the following day without issue. I ended up losing my phone in the river (be careful if you bring a phone with you into the kayak) and they even offered to try and find it for me in the river. Overall, I'd definitely recommend this tour for anyone who is reasonably fit.

Response from Host, Jun 2024

Hey Jennifer! Thank you very very much for taking some valuable time out of your day to leave a review. We really appreciate it and it always makes our day! We are super happy you had a good time and welcome you back if you are ever again in Oslo. :)

So much fun!

Caterina_N, Sep 2023
Thanks Pascal, he was so patience and made sure that I was comfortable during the whole experience. It was my first kayaking but it is such an amazing way to visit Oslo. Thanks again.

Response from Host, Sep 2023

Thanks so much for you review, its great to see you had fun, and I´ll make sure Pascal knows.

River Rendezvous

Maria_C, Jul 2023
Christian and Mateo were fantastic! It was a scenic paddle down the river and a lovely way to start our afternoon and see a different part Oslo.

Response from Host, Jul 2023

Thank you so much for the kind words. It means so much to hear you enjoyed.

A fun time doing something a little different in Oslo.

Wendy_H, May 2023
It was something different - fun with some surprises. The guide was great - he was funny, knowledgeable, and great at helping even novices feel comfortable in the kayak.

Response from Host, May 2023

Thank you so much for your review, we do our best to make it entertaining and fun, and its an awesome way to see the city from a different perspective.

70 års feiring

Britt_G, Aug 2024
Jeg er veldig fornøyd. Instruktørene var hyggelige og flinke. Opplæringen i forkant var bra. Anbefales

Response from Host, Aug 2024

Hey! Really appreciate the review! It always makes us happy to know people are having a good time on our kayak tours. :) :)
Likely to Sell Out

From $110.83

per person

up to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)

Book ahead!
On average, this is booked 24 days in advance.

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